Staff-head for canopies.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905.

W. J. SLYDER. STAFF HEAD FOR GANOPIBS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB 18 1904 UNITE STATES PATENT enrich.

XVILLIAM J. SLYDER, OF TROY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE S. LONG,

OF TROY, OHIO.

' STAFF-HEAD FOR CANOPIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26. 1905.

Application filed February 18, 190d. Serial No. 194,201.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SLYDER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Staff-Heads for Canopies, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to canopies and tops, and particularly to a staff-head for the support of the ribs.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel support for the head of the ribs of a canopy, whereby the said ribs are permitted to swing on horizontal planes when the canopystaff is vertical, the said head being designed more particularly for use in connection with the ribs described and claimed in a companion application for patent, filed February 18, 190%, Serial No. 194,200, Canopy ribs and heads, one form of said rib being illustrated in this application in order to show the arrangement of parts contemplated in carrying the invention into practice. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of pintles, so that the movement of one rib and its pintle will not conflict or interfere with the movement of other ribs until all of said ribs have reached an approximately parallel position occupying small space, which position is that assumed when the canopy is folded for storage or shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a head of the character noted and in combination therewith a suitable support or staff, the said staff having a novel coupling whereby the head may be disconnected from the staff and that (when said head is applied to the staff) said coupling will prove rigid and noiseless.

\Yith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a staff, showing a head applied thereto, the said head being equipped with suitable ribs and a cover. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one section of the head. Fig. 3 is a detached detail perspective of the staff-joint. Fig. 4c is a plan view of a fragment of the cover. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cover, taken on the line corresponding with the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, A indicates the head, comprising in this construction an upper and lower section 1 and 2, respectively, which are direct duplicates, and hence are interchangeable. This interchangeable feature is a desirable one in the manufacture of devices of this character in that orders for repairs need not specify whether it is an upper or a lower member, and, furthermore,it reduces the stock necessary to be carried by the manufacturer and dealer. Each of the two sections has a socket 3, which is designed for the purpose of receiving a stafl, if it is desired to use a straight staff or one without a bend. If a curved staff is used, this socket may be utilized for receiving the filler 4:, of wood or other material, for attaching the cover 5. When a straight staff is employed, the upper end of the staff would be utilized in the illustrationthat is, the screw 6, on which the binding-strips of the cover are mounted, would be screwed into the top of the staff instead of into the filler, and as this is an obvious arrangement it is thought unnecessary to illustrate a staff substituted for the filler.

Each of the members 1 and 2 has a shank 7, which is adapted to lie parallel with the shank of the opposite member when assembled, the said shanks being curved in cross-section to partially embrace a curved staff 8. The staff being fitted between two of the shanks is secured in place by a bolt passing through the two shanks and through the staff, as illustrated. The said shanks may have apertured lugs 9 for the reception of the bolts 10, by which the said shanks are clamped on the staff. The portions of the members opposite the shanks have flanges 11, with apertures 12 to receive the rivet 13 or other binding agent, such as a screw, so that the said flanges are held from spreading. One of the rib-heads B is held by said rivet. The flanges have coinciding studs 14, which act as pintles for the headsB of the ribs O. These pintles may be of different lengths, according to the size of the rib-head. If desired, the flanges might be extended beyond the pintles a sufficient distance to engage the tubular portion of the rib extension and serve to brace the inner end of said eX- tension and aid in preventing the fracture of the joint by which the said extension is attached to the head; but this expedient would be utilized only where unusual strain would be encountered and where unusual strength is demanded.

The cover D has its edge secured to the ends of the ribs, and the rear portion of the said cover is severed from its edge to a point above the head. The edges of this severed portion are provided with interlocking binding-plates E, having their inner ends pivoted on the screw or-stud 6. These binding-plates may be interlocked in any suitable manner, and for the purpose of showing an operative device the said plates are provided with flanges G,

extending their entire length and interlocking. 4

I do not wish to be limited with respect to the means for securing the severed edges of the cover, as that feature is illustrated simply for the purpose of showing its application to that portion of my invention constituting the head in which ribs are mounted.

The staff 8 has a coupling by which it is attached to or removed from a support, and this coupling com prises a stationary portion I, having a socket J, by which it may be mounted on a stub, and it has apertured lugs K for the reception of screws by which it may be attached to a seat-back or other part of a vehicle. As this coupling may be employed in difierent positions according to the length of the sections of the staff, I do not wish to be limited to any means for attaching the stationary member of the coupling. The upper end of this stationary member is externally threaded, as at L, and the end of the member has recesses M. The movable member of the coupling, which is carried by the staff 8, consists of a collar N, encircling the said stafi' a suitable distance from its end to permit the said end to pass into the socket of the stationary member of the coup ling. The edge of the collar has lugs O, which lit in the recesses of the stationary member in order to prevent rotary motion or movement of the said members when they are interlocked. The edge of the collar carrying the lugs has an inwardly-tapering socket P, while the upper end of the stationary member has a beveled edge fitting in the socket of the collar. A ring-nut Q fits against the collar and is designed to be threaded on the external threads of the stationary member for the purpose of drawing the tapered end of the said stationary member and the wall of the socket in the collar into contact. By this arrangement vibration incident to the use of a stafi supporting a canopy on vehicles is not liable to loosen the joint.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

l. A canopy staff-head formed of sections, said sections carrying oppositely-disposed pintles.

2. A canopy staff-head formed of sections having flanges, and pintles carried by the flanges.

3. A canopy-head formed of sections, means for clamping the sections together; and pintles carried by the sections.

' 4. In a canopy, a head comprising two sections fitted together, the said sections having a socket extending therethrough, shanks formed on the sections of the head forming a socket, oppositely-disposed pintles on the two sections of the head and means for clamping the sections together.

5. In acanopy, a head comprising two sections fitted together, the said sections having a socket extending therethrough, shanks formed on the sections of the head forminga socket, pintles on the two sections of the head, means for clamping the sections together and for retaining a suitable shaft thereon.

6. In acanopy staif-head, two head-sections having flanges provided with pintles, means for clamping the sections together, shanks formed with the head-sections and having recessed facing surfaces forming a socket to engage a shaft.

7. In combination, a head provided with pintle-lugs, and ribs hinged to the lugs.

8. In combination, a head provided with coinciding pintle-lugs, ribs hinged to the lugs, means for attachinga staff to the head,a cover, and means carried by the head for attaching the cover to the head.

9. In combination, a head, having pintlelugs, ribs hinged to the lugs, means for attaching a staff to the head, a cover secured to the ribs, and means, carried by the cover and head, for holding the ribs in the spread position.

In testimony whereof I ai'fix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 9th day of February, 1904:.

WILLIAM J. SLYDER.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE S. LONG, FREDERICK W. Lone. 

